OLEH/Nigeria: The Chairman of Isoko South Local Government Area, Friday Ovoke Warri, has expressed deep concern over what he described as a “high rate of absenteeism” among teaching and non-teaching staff in primary schools across the area.
Warri made the observation during an unscheduled visit to several schools on Tuesday, where he also condemned the rampant theft, destruction, and vandalization of government-owned properties in the schools.
Accompanied by council officials, he inspected Ozah Primary School in Oleh and Urie Primary School in Emede, where he revealed that the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the local government, would take decisive action to address teachers’ laxity and the imbalance in staff distribution. He noted that while Ozah Primary School had 48 teachers for about 200 pupils, Umeh Primary School and Ikpide-Irri Primary School, with over 170 and 200 pupils respectively, were struggling with just one teacher each.
“The council will no longer fold its arms and watch as primary school children, especially those in deep rural areas, are deprived of teachers, while some schools in the local government headquarters are overstaffed,” Warri stated.
Beyond absenteeism, the council chairman also blamed community leaders, particularly youth leaders, for failing to protect school properties from vandalism. He lamented the growing trend of theft in schools, describing it as a menace that requires urgent intervention.
“There is a trend in our schools that is giving me sleepless nights. The stealing of primary school properties is a serious problem, and we must take action. Community leaders have a duty to protect school facilities, and we will hold them accountable,” Warri warned.
He further disclosed that security agents would be deployed to curb the destruction and theft of school infrastructure. “We will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute anyone caught engaging in vandalism. It costs the government a lot of money to provide these facilities, and we must take responsibility for protecting them,” he added.
At Ozah Primary School, Warri observed that several windows were missing, while the school’s overhead water tank had been stolen. A similar situation was found at Urie Primary School, Emede, where critical infrastructure had been carted away.
He called for urgent collaboration between the government and community leaders to safeguard educational facilities, warning that the administration would no longer tolerate negligence and sabotage in the education sector.
